This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-99139 (application date Mar. 31, 2000) and the contents of that application are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a method, an output system and an output device for monitoring failures in moving mechanisms and components such as an engine, hydraulic pump, hydraulic motor and the like of a working machine such as a construction machine, at a remote location, and outputting a method for handling these failures to the working machine or the like.
For example, a hydraulic excavator or crane (hereafter referred to as a construction machine) is made up of a number of components, and each component is susceptible to failures or faults. There are various failure conditions, and if there is a simple failure the operator can repair the construction machine, but depending on the nature of the failure the operator may not always be able to deal with it and it is necessary to contact the manufacturer""s service center.
However, it is sometimes difficult to reliably communicate the nature of the failure. There are also occasions where the nature of the failure can not be understood. In such instances, a service man receiving notification of a failure will have to go to the actual site to investigate the failure. A serviceman may not be carrying all of the parts necessary for repair, and so depending on the nature of the failure it may be necessary to return to the service center and collect some parts.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for outputting failure handling method, a failure handling method output system and a failure handling method output device in which the nature of a failure in a working machine such as a construction machine can be reliably determined.
In order to attain the above object, a method for outputting failure handling method according to the present invention, comprises: detecting conditions of each part of a working machine; transmitting condition signals representing the detected conditions; receiving the condition signals; calculating a handling method for a failure showed by the received condition signals; and transmitting a handling signal representing the calculated handling method.
In this method for outputting failure handling method, it is preferred that the handling signal is transmitted to any of the working machine, a service man and a manager of the working machine. In this case, it is preferred that the handling signal is transmitted together with information identifying the working machine and information indicating a nature of the failure. Or, it is preferred that when the handling signal is transmitted to the service man, a current location of the working machine is transmitted together.
A failure handling method output system according to the present invention comprises: a condition detector that is provided in a working machine and detects conditions of each part of the working machine; a working machine side transmitter that is provided in the working machine and transmits condition signals representing the conditions detected by the condition detector; a working machine monitoring side receiver that is provided in a working machine monitoring facility and receives the condition signals transmitted from the working machine side transmitter; a handling method calculating device that is provided in the working machine monitoring facility and calculates a handling method for a failure shown by the condition signals received by the working machine monitoring side receiver; a working machine monitoring side transmitter that is provided in the working machine monitoring facility and transmits a handling signal representing the calculated handling method; and a working machine side receiver that is provided in the working machine and receives the transmitted handling signal.
In this failure handling method output system, it is preferred that a monitor that displays the handling method based on the handling signal received by the working machine side receiver, is further provided.
Also, it is preferred that the handling method calculating device calculates the handling method by searching a database using the condition signals received by the working machine monitoring side receiver.
A failure handling method output device according to the present invention comprises: a receiver that receives condition signals representing conditions of each part of a working machine transmitted from the working machine; a handling method calculating device that calculates a handling method for a failure shown by the received condition signals; and a transmitter that transmits a handling signal representing the calculated handling method.
A method for outputting failure handling method according to the present invention comprises: receiving condition signals representing conditions of each part of a working machine transmitted from the working machine; calculating a handling method for a failure shown by the received condition signals; and transmitting a handling signal representing the calculated handling method.
Another failure handling method output device according to the present invention receives condition signals representing conditions of each part of a working machine transmitted from the working machine, calculates a handling method for a failure shown by the received condition signals, and transmits a handling signal representing the calculated handling method.
In the above methods for outputting failure handling method, it is preferred that transmission and reception of the condition signals, and transmission of the handling signal, are carried out via a communications satellite.
In the above methods for outputting failure handling method, it is preferred that transmission and reception of the condition signals, and transmission of the handling signal, are carried out via a mobile communications system.
A failure information acquisition method according to the present invention comprises: outputting information, relating to items to be checked when a failure occurs in a working machine, to a mobile communications terminal via a mobile communications system; receiving information, which has been input at the mobile communications terminal regarding the items to be checked, via the mobile communications system; and storing the received information in a storage device as failure information.